In my defense, punctuality was key this year, with a newborn on the way just weeks before the holidays and the unpredictable schedule of family visits that were to follow, I needed to be ready. Why spend extra money on shipping when folks are coming by to see the baby? “Thanks for coming! Here, take your Christmas gifts home with you while you’re at it.” Simple.

This didn’t come to fruition without a ton of planning though. I made lists. I strategized. I organized. And more importantly, I did it one gift at a time. No point in getting overwhelmed by it. I think I bought the first gift in August and worked my way through a structured list.

There are definitely pros to the start-and-finish-early method of Christmas shopping:

- You have the opportunity to buy things on sale.

- You never feel the pinch of a huge credit card bill because it’s done gradually, little by little.

- You avoid holiday prices. If you’re looking for must-have items, they can sometimes get more expensive as you get closer to the in-demand season.

There are a few cons, too, of course:

- Overspending. The earlier you start, the easier it is to buy more than planned by picking up “just one more thing.”

- You might find out closer to the holidays that a special someone desires a gift that you didn’t think to buy, but try to save that little idea nugget for their birthday.

- It’s easy to forget what you got people, so just remember to smile and nod when they thank you for that super awesome item you legitimately forget wrapping, let alone purchasing.

Given our circumstances with a newborn set to arrive any minute, having this task completed pleases me to no end. Now I can put my energy into decor, baking and all things holidays.